Poverty and Bad Economy: Kenya's Most Serious Challenges Identified

KENYA: A NEW national survey by TIFA Research has confirmed what many Kenyans already feel in their daily lives: the economy remains the country’s most pressing crisis. According to the findings released recently, an overwhelming majority of citizens identify economic hardships as Kenya’s top challenge, far surpassing concerns over corruption, governance, or security. When asked to name the single most serious problem facing the nation, 44 per cent of respondents pointed to “unemployment/poverty/bad economy/hunger,” while another 23 per cent cited “inflation/high prices/high taxes.” Combined, these economic concerns accounted for 67 per cent of responses. Corruption, the next highest issue, was mentioned by just 20 per cent with all other problems, including poor leadership, healthcare access and education, trailing far behind with single-digit percentages. “Kenyans overwhelmingly define the country’s problems in economic terms, with unemployment, poverty and high prices far outweighing political, security, or social concerns,” the TIFA report states. “For most Kenyans, the national crisis is not political instability or security; it is economic survival.” The economic gloom overshadows political developments, including shifting views on the Broad-Based Government (BBG) formed through cooperation between President William Ruto and the late Raila Odinga. “TIFA’s last three surveys reveal that support for the BBG has doubled (from 22 per cent in May to 44 per cent in November), though the “oppose” figure for August (64 per cent) was the highest.” “Most likely as a result of the violent suppression of protests in June and July, the memories of which (among most Kenyans, at least) may be fading, with the “oppose” figure (48 per cent) now at its lowest level across all three surveys.” ALSO READ: Kenya’s wealth drained by corruption: How ordinary citizens pay the price Support for this arrangement has risen to 44 per cent from 22 per cent in May, yet opposition remains strong at 48 per cent. Notably, economic perceptions align with political attitudes: 79 per cent of BBG opponents report worsening finances since 2022, compared to 55 per cent of supporters. Turning to the main focus of the survey, the economy, TIFA concludes that employment remains a major challenge for Kenyans. “In terms of employment, only about half of Kenyan adults are working either full- or part-time (including those in self-employment: 63 per cent), yet total household income figures show that only about one in ten (9 per cent) are enjoying incomes of more than Ksh 50,000 per month,” the report states, highlighting the persistent economic pressures faced by the majority of households across the country.